Method for shutting down a vehicle

Abstract

A process and an arrangement for shutting down a vehicle by means of a shut-down signal is the result of a shut-down request. During a vehicle-side analysis, a conclusion is drawn from a current vehicle operating condition and/or a current vehicle location according to defined criteria regarding a shut-down site which is safe with respect to traffic and/or a traffic-safe shut-down site is recognized, in which case the shut-down signal is not generated before the current vehicle operating condition represents a traffic-safe shut-down site and/or before the current vehicle location corresponds to a traffic-safe shut-down site.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for shutting down a vehicle, comprising: 
       sensing a shut-down request,  
       determining whether the vehicle is in a traffic-safe shut-down site by analyzing a current vehicle operational status after said shut-down request is sensed, based on signals from sensors for vehicle operational parameters, said traffic-safe shut-down site corresponding to at least one of the following traffic-safe shut-down vehicle operational statuses:  
       (a) in a first vehicle operational status, the vehicle is being refilled with at least one of fuel and oil,  
       (b) in a second vehicle operational status, the vehicle is parked, and  
       (c) in a third vehicle operational status, the vehicle is being transported or towed, and  
       generating a shut-down signal after the current operational status corresponds to at least one of said traffic-safe shut-down vehicle operational statuses.  
     
     
       2. The method for shutting down a vehicle according to claim  1 , wherein the first vehicle operational status is recognized by analyzing data from at least one of a fuel filling level sensor and an oil filling level sensor. 
     
     
       3. The method for shutting down a vehicle according to claim  1 , wherein the first vehicle operational status is recognized by analyzing data from a flow-through sensor. 
     
     
       4. The method according to claim  1 , wherein: 
       said step of determining whether the vehicle is in a traffic-safe shut-down site further comprises the step of determining a current vehicle location via a vehicle-side navigation system after said shut-down request is sensed; and  
       said generating step further comprises generating a shut-down signal after the current vehicle location corresponds to said traffic-safe shut-down site.  
     
     
       5. A method for shutting down a vehicle, 
       sensing a shut-down request;  
       recognizing whether the vehicle is in a traffic-safe shut-down site by determining a current vehicle location via a vehicle-side navigation system after said shut-down request is sensed; and  
       generating a shut-down signal after the current vehicle location corresponds to said traffic-safe shut-down site; wherein  
       said recognizing comprises step analyzing transmission signals generated outside the vehicle which are received by a vehicle-side device; and  
       the transmission signals are transmitted by induction loops to the vehicle, the induction loops being arranged at traffic-stop shut-down sites.  
     
     
       6. A method for shutting down a vehicle comprising: 
       sensing a shut-down request;  
       recognizing whether the vehicle is in a non-traffic-safe shut-down site by determining a current vehicle location via a vehicle-side navigation system after said shut-down request is sensed; and  
       preventing generation of a shut-down signal if the current vehicle location corresponds to said non-traffic-safe shut-down site;  
       wherein a first of said non-traffic-safe shut-down sites is recognized when the vehicle is located in an intersection, and wherein a second of said non-traffic-safe shut-down sites is recognized when the vehicle is located on a railroad crossing.  
     
     
       7. A method for shutting down a vehicle comprising: 
       sensing a shut-down request;  
       recognizing whether the vehicle is in a traffic-safe shut-down site by determining a current vehicle location via a vehicle-side navigation system after said shut-down request is sensed; and  
       generating a shut-down signal after the current vehicle location corresponds to said traffic-safe shut-down site; and  
       when no traffic-safe shut-down site is recognized during the recognizing step, progressively reducing an available engine power continuously or in defined steps via the electronic control system of the engine.  
     
     
       8. A method for shutting down a vehicle comprising: 
       sensing a shut-down request;  
       recognizing whether the vehicle is in a traffic-safe shut-down site by determining a current vehicle location via a vehicle-side navigation system after said shut-down request is sensed; and  
       generating a shut-down signal after the current vehicle location corresponds to said traffic-safe shut-down site;  
       recognizing a geographical use limitation of the vehicle to a pre-defined area; and  
       when the navigation system senses that the vehicle is outside of said pre-defined area,  
       reducing the available engine power continuously or in defined steps when the navigation system senses that the vehicle is moving away from said pre-defined area, and  
       increasing the available engine power continuously or in defined steps when the navigation system senses that the vehicle is moving toward said pre-defined area.  
     
     
       9. A system for shutting down a vehicle due to unauthorized use, comprising: 
       a recognition device which recognizes an unauthorized use of the vehicle and causes a shut-down request to be generated;  
       a sensor device with several sensors which sense vehicle operating conditions; and  
       an analysis device which is activated by the shut-down request, the analysis device analyzing vehicle operating condition data from the sensor device to determine whether the vehicle is located in a traffic-safe shut-down site corresponding to at least one of the following traffic-safe shut-down vehicle operational statuses:  
       (a) the vehicle is being is being refilled with at least one of fuel and oil,  
       (b) the vehicle is parked, and  
       (c) the vehicle is being transported or towed, and  
       the analysis device generating a shut-down signal after the current vehicle operating condition corresponds to at least one of said traffic-safe shut-down vehicle operational statuses.  
     
     
       10. The system according to claim  9 , wherein an indicating device is provided on the vehicle which is manipulated by the analysis device as the result of the shut-down request. 
     
     
       11. The system according to claim  9  wherein when the analysis device recognizes no traffic-safe shut-down site, the analysis device reduces power of the engine continuously or in steps by way of an engine electronic control system. 
     
     
       12. A system for shutting down a vehicle due to unauthorized use, comprising: 
       a recognition device which recognizes an unauthorized use of the vehicle and causes a shut-down request to be generated;  
       a navigation system; and  
       an analysis device which is activated by the shut-down request, the analysis device analyzing a current vehicle location determined by the navigation system to determine whether the current vehicle location corresponds to a traffic-safe shut-down site or a shut-down site which is not traffic-safe, and the analyzing device generating a shut-down signal when the current vehicle location corresponds to a traffic-safe shut-down site;  
       wherein when the analysis device recognizes no traffic-safe shut-down site, the analysis device reduces the power of the engines continuously or in increments, by way of an engine electronic control system.